TORPIDITY. 47 



son. In general, however, they retire from active life when 

 their food has become difficult to obtain, when the insects 

 have fled to their hiding places, and the cold has frozen in 

 the ground the roots and the seeds on which they subsist. 

 At die period of their reviviseence, the insects are again 

 sporting in the air, and the powers of vegetable life are ex- 

 erted in the various processes of germination and vegeta- 

 tion. 



Previous to their entrance into this state of lethargy, 

 these animals select a proper place, in general assume a 

 particular position, and even in some cases provide a small 

 stock of food. 



All the torpid animals retire to a, place of safety , where, 

 at a distance from their enemies, and protected as much as 

 possible from the vicissitudes of temperature, they may sleep 

 out, undisturbed, the destined period of their slumbers. 

 The bat retires to the roof of gloomy caves, or to the old 

 chimneys of uninhabited castles. The hedge-hog wraps it- 

 self up in those leaves of which it composes its nest, and re- 

 mains at the bottom of the hedge, or under the covert of 

 the furze, which screened it, during summer, from the 

 scorching sun or the passing storm. The marmot and t3>e 

 hamster retire to their subterranean retreats, and when they 

 feel the first approach of the torpid state, shut the passages 

 to their habitations in such a manner, that it is more easy 

 to dig up the earth any where else, than in such parts 

 which they have thus fortified. The jumping mouse of 

 Canada seems to prepare itself for its winter torpidity in a 

 very curious manner, according to the communications of 

 Major-General DAVIES, on the authority of a labourer. A 

 specimen which was found in digging the foundation for a 

 summer-house in a gentleman's garden about two miles 

 from Quebec, in the latter end of May 1787, was " en- 

 closed in a ball of clay, about the size of a cricket ball. 



